Second Chances
by Azar443
Summary: "I have loved till the point of madness that which is called madness, that which to me is the only sensible way to love." - Françoise Sagan


**This is definitely AU. It's actually inspired by a picture I found with the first quote that I found really suited to the two. So I hope you read, review and enjoy. Reviews make the Hotch & Prentiss in my mind, and I _very _happy. :)**

**CM and the respective quotes belong to their creators.**

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Emily bit her lip as she found herself cornered by Derek. Damned man seemed to always know whenever something was on her mind. She knew her best friend would find out in a heartbeat that she was thinking of leaving them _again_, and honestly, she wasn't feeling up to facing the scrutiny and hard questions that would follow. Derek, for all the secrets and friendship they shared, would never understand just why she wanted to leave, why she thought she _had_ to.

Stumbling through his near-frantic interrogation and doing her best to try to pacify him that no, she wasn't leaving right _now_, she nearly let out a sigh of relief at Penelope's arrival. Allowing the dark skinned man to calm the frazzled blonde, Emily let her mind wander off for a moment, only to be rocked back, _hard_ to reality by the high pitched squeal Penelope let out as she scurried off to avoid Kevin, but not before she let out a harried "hello" to several newcomers.

"Em'ly!"

Emily started a little as something threw itself with the velocity of a speeding train into her legs, throwing her off balance even as she reached down instinctively. She laughed delightedly as she swung a squirming and giggly Jack Hotchner up into her arms. "Jack! Look at you! How's my favourite man doing?"

The 7 year old let out another giggle as the brunette let him down. His little arms reached out to envelop her neck and held her tight, "I'm fine Em'ly!" A toothy smile revealed a missing front tooth as a light blush flashing across his pale cheeks. "You look very pretty tonight Em'ly, doesn't she daddy?"

Now it was her turn to blush as Jack released her and she returned to her full height, thereby meeting the intense gaze of her Unit Chief, and the man she secretly had not-so-innocent thoughts about. She cleared her throat and smiled awkwardly at Hotch while running her hand through Jack's sandy blonde hair. "That she does buddy." The stoic man smiled a little at both Emily and Derek before nodding his head in greeting, "Prentiss, Morgan."

Derek smirked, "Hotch man, we're off duty now, so drop the surnames. Where's Beth? Thought you'd bring her along."

Emily's eyes narrowed as she caught Hotch's nearly imperceptible flinch before he schooled his expression. "Things didn't work out, so we decided to cut ties before Jack gets dragged into our mess." She winced and reached out to squeeze his arm, "I'm sorry. I know you both got along really well and she was really good for you."

She ignored the sudden coughing fit Derek developed and the slight flutter of hope bouncing off within her like mad. Hotch just shrugged and smiled, "It was for the best; we're better off as friends, as it is."

Just then, Derek bent down and ruffled Jack's hair. "Hey guess what, they got a really cool fountain right over there. You wanna check it out with me?" The boy nodded adorably and grinned, "Sure!" Derek led the boy off, leaving the dark haired duo alone, shifting uncomfortably.

"Easter told me about the offer he made you."

Emily blinked, "Wha- Wait, _what_?" She didn't know what Hotch was going to say, but she certainly wasn't expecting _that_. "He _told_ you? But it's not even official yet, and I haven't made any decisions; how could he-"

Hotch raised a hand to stop the overflow of words, "Emily, I saw the file on my desk today and called him. I know you haven't decided on anything yet and I'm not saying you have. I just wanted you to know that if you want to talk, I'm here." He hesitated, "_Do_ you want to talk about it?"

She sighed and grimaced, "Absolutely, but not now." He nodded in understanding, "First thing tomorrow?" A sad smile shaped her lips, and Hotch thought that no one so beautiful should ever look so sad. "It's a date."

They fell into silence and the Unit Chief tried his hardest to just _tell_ her _not_ to leave. The carefully prepared speech he secretly rehearsed mentally fell to pieces as he stared at his beautiful subordinate, radiant and goddess-like in her floral dress, dark locks framing her fair face. He took a deep breath and felt his nerves settle slightly; maybe his courage hadn't failed him after all.

But as it was, it was not the time for him to make grand declarations of love as they spotted JJ and her family making their way through to the garden. A tentative touch had him turn to face Emily, "We should head out now." Hotch smiled and extended his arm out gallantly, "Shall we?" He was delighted by her feminine giggle as she gracefully nestled her hand within the crook of his arm and moved closer towards him. She flashed him a brilliant smile as they stepped out together. "My hero." He bowed mockingly, "_Always_, my lady."

* * *

A calm sort of feeling drifted over her when Hotch took her hand in his and led the dance. As clichéd as it sounded, Emily felt as though only the two of them existed among the throngs of dancing couples. Their dance wasn't anything fancy; no spectacular twirls or dips. In a way, she thought, as they moved as one, this dance personified their relationship, or at the very least how they were together; understated yet quietly dignified and there was no need for words. They just _were_.

Hotch held her close, their faces nearly touching as he guided their movements. His grip on her waist tightened momentarily as he thought of her possible departure. Honestly, he wasn't certain that the entire team would wholly survive her leaving yet again. He knew he wouldn't. She touched them all in a way that no one else ever had; not Elle and not even Gideon.

As if sensing his inner turmoil, she squeezed his larger hand gently. He looked down quizzically to see her smile slightly at him. She shook her head and laid her head on his chest, "No thinking tonight Hotch. Let's worry about everything else tomorrow."

He chuckled, the sound rumbling deep within his chest and he dropped a quick kiss onto her soft curls. To hell with the Bureau; it wasn't going to stand in the way of the little piece of happiness he could snatch. Resting his forehead slightly against hers, he concurred quietly. "Tomorrow, Emily."

* * *

"Oh God, _Aaron!_"

He panted and gritted his teeth, pulling her even closer to him as he thrust against her, "Let go sweetheart, just let go. I'm here."

The woman in his arms locked her arms around his neck in an iron grip as she fell apart screaming his name. "_Aaron!_" Feeling her climax around him, he gave one last thrust and growled, hard and deep before giving in to the pleasure clawing at his control. "_Emily!_"

Hotch collapsed onto her, mindful not to crush her. Emily panted hard as she ran trembling fingers over his sweaty back. It was silent for a moment before she blurted out, "You are _good_."

Hotch -her _boss_ damn it!- let out a short bark of laughter as he tried to catch his breath. "Just _good_?" He smirked, and the dimples Emily loved made their rare appearance. "I thought I was more than just _good_."

She rolled her eyes and smacked his chest lightly, "Oh _fine_. You were great. Honestly though, I thought I'd scream myself hoarse at the end. It was just…_Wow_." She grinned up at him, marveling at her luck, "It was amazing."

He chuckled and dropped kisses along her neck, grinning when she mewled as he nuzzled a sensitive spot just at the crook of her neck. He breathed into her ear, "I have loved till the point of madness that which is called madness, that which to me is the only sensible way to love."

She smiled lazily and drew little circles on the sinews of his arms, "Françoise Sagan." Emily sighed and brushed a lock of dark hair out of his tender eyes, "Sometimes I feel unworthy, that I get to have a second chance with you when so many others have to live with the knowledge that the ones they love are forever out of reach.

He turned them over gently and gathered her slender frame in his arms. He gazed into her eyes, and she blushed under the intensity of his gaze. He kissed her forehead and rested his chin on her head, "Now who's the one thinking too much?" He stroked her arms, delighting in the shivers he elicited. "It's being here now that's important. There's no past and there's no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now. We can gain experience from the past, but we can't relive it; and we can hope for the future, but we don't know if there is one." **(1)**

She raised her head to take in his face, a blearily contented look on her face. "Quite the philosopher today aren't we? But you're right." She snuggled deeper into his embrace, "I want to love you like there's no tomorrow, that all we have is today. I want to love you like it's the end of the world tomorrow and I want to love you till I have no love left." Raising his hand to her lips, she kissed his worn knuckles, "Will you let me do that?"

Hotch felt his breath catch as he stared at the wonderful woman in his arms. Tilting her face up to his, he smiled and kissed her deliciously swollen lips. "Only if you let me do the same." She smiled softly at him and ran a hand through his rumpled hair, "I think I can do that."

He laughed, deep and true and Emily felt her heart flutter at the sound. Quickly moving so she stayed pinned beneath him, he drowned her protests with fierce kisses. "So can I." She flipped them over and straddled him, the desire in the dark pools of her eyes igniting the passion within him once more. She bent down and whispered sultrily into his ears, biting the lobe and eliciting a primal growl from him. "Only if I get to be on top."

It was a dark, cool night with only the moon and stars lazily floating above the skies. It almost seemed as though the bright face of the moon shined mischievously as she and her twinkling companions witnessed the lovemaking of two people who were absolutely the most deserving in the world. And all was good.

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"_Fear? What has a man to do with fear? Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown. Best live as we may, from day to day."__ - Sophocles_

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**(1) George Harrison**

**A/N: The Emily/Hotch intimate scene is NOT directly after JJ's wedding. In my mind it takes place a month or so after it, when Emily has time to think it through that she DOESN'T want to leave. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible, and a thousand apologies if it didn't turn out right!**


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